Director of Engineering.
Minneapolis.
$231,000
median salary, 5% above the national average
$179,000 to $299,000. Last updated April 2026.
Get the job.
Data points to own the conversation.
Director of Engineering pay in Minneapolis ranges from $179,000 to $299,000 in 2026. The median is $231,000, 5% above the national average. Minneapolis is a Fortune 500 powerhouse with Target, UnitedHealth Group, Best Buy, and 3M headquartered in the metro. Every dollar in that range is negotiable if you come prepared.
Salary range
Where do you fall?
Salary by experience
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $208,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$150,000
to $185,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$196,000
to $243,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$254,000
to $300,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$289,000
to $358,000
Salary trend
+4% YoYTotal compensation
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $147,000 to the total package.
Base
$231,000
Equity
$79,000
Bonus
$50,000
Signing
$18,000
Estimated total: $378,000
How Minneapolis compares
Minneapolis, MN
$231,000
Cost of living: 5% above average
National Average
$220,000
Minneapolis is $11,000 above
Director of Engineering salary by city
Salary by role in Minneapolis
What you should know
Before you negotiate a Director of Engineering offer in Minneapolis, understand the terrain. Minneapolis is a Fortune 500 powerhouse with Target, UnitedHealth Group, Best Buy, and 3M headquartered in the metro. The city's strong corporate base creates consistent demand across finance, healthcare, retail tech, and supply chain roles. Quality of life is high, and employers offer competitive salaries to offset the cold winters. Team size, system criticality, and technical domain are the primary factors. Directors overseeing platform or infrastructure teams at scale earn more than those managing application feature teams. Companies in fintech, cybersecurity, and cloud infrastructure pay above general market rates for engineering leadership.
Engineering managers earn $155,000 to $195,000. Directors of engineering start at $170,000 to $220,000. Senior directors managing multiple teams earn $215,000 to $270,000. VP of engineering is the next step at $250,000 to $340,000 with significantly larger equity packages. In Minneapolis, cost of living sits near the national average, so the numbers you see are roughly what you keep.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity grants at tech companies add $100,000 to $400,000 in annualized value. Cash bonuses of 15 to 25% of base tied to delivery milestones, system reliability, and team retention metrics are standard. Retention grants of $50,000 to $150,000 are common at competitive companies. And on the tax side: minnesota's top income tax rate is 9.85%, one of the highest state rates. There is no city income tax in Minneapolis, but the state burden significantly reduces take home pay. When someone quotes you $231,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Emphasize retention risk when negotiating. Minneapolis employers know that remote opportunities from warmer, lower tax states are a constant competitive threat. The range for Director of Engineerings in Minneapolis runs from $179,000 to $299,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: SEC filings, H-1B LCA (DOL), BLS OES, 50+ job posting platforms. COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified April 8, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- A Director of Data Science in Minneapolis earns $230,000 (0% more)
- The highest-paying role in Minneapolis is Chief AI Officer at $329,000
Common questions.
Director of Engineering salary in other cities
Other salaries in Minneapolis
Related
Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
Want this data on your site? Embed the salary widget — one script tag, free forever.